Created by Saturday Night Live star Taran Killam, who co-wrote this first issue with Mark Andreyko, The Illegitimates is an interesting premise in need of a better story and artist.

It’s somewhat similar to the current Velvet series, in that both are concepts spun out of a James Bond-ish world. With Velvet, the concept is “What if Moneypenny were the most dangerous one of them all?”, while The Illegitimates posits that a Bond-like spy, a badass who bedded countless women, inevitably spawned some little badasses along the way.

A great, fun, idea. Unfortunately, and unlike Velvet, the concept of The Illegitimates is undermined by its story and visuals. Unremarkable, occasionally awkward art and a quick-to-read story, make this a rather poor value. How much do new comics cost again, nowadays? That said, I will give artist Kevin Sharpe props for a cool, detailed shot of a character’s head bursting — without a doubt, the high point of this comic. On the other hand, the “Iron Man” (fist hitting ground) landing looked ludicrous, and I doubt it was intended as a goof on its overuse everywhere these days.

In better hands, Killam’s concept could’ve legitimately taken off. The story is just…there, and the art is on par with average fan art ; it helps tell the tale, but lacks style, individuality, and essentials in perspective and anatomy. I suspect these deficiencies are a result of an industry flooded with too many titles and not enough talent to work on them.